Tea Scoop Names (Mei) for May

Table of Contents

• What is a chashaku mei?
• Mei inspired by the twenty-four solar terms
• Seasonal themes for May
• Mei for early May
• Mei for mid to late May

What is a chashaku mei?

What does "mei" mean?

The mei of a chashaku is the name given to the tea scoop.

Types of mei

In tea ceremony, mei generally fall into two broad groups:

1. Seasonal poetic names

• Names that express flowers, birds, wind, moon, and seasonal feeling
• Names chosen to suit each month from January through December

1. Zen phrases or non-seasonal names

• Names drawn from Zen sayings, Chinese poetry, or classical sources
• These are often used for koicha

How is a mei chosen?

A mei may come from several elements:

• Shape and appearance: a name suggested by the form of the chashaku
• Background: when, where, and by whom it was made
• Wordplay and refined association: wit, seasonal words, or literary references
• Zen and classical literature: Buddhist teaching, poetry, or old texts

Why does a mei matter?

The purpose of a mei is to:

• Express the character of the utensil
• Reflect the feeling of the owner
• Create shared feeling with guests
• Add depth and meaning to a tea gathering

A mei is not just a label. It expresses the feeling, season, and sometimes the philosophical meaning held within the chashaku. In general, seasonal words are not used after their proper time has passed.

Mei inspired by the twenty-four solar terms

Rikka (立夏 / Beginning of Summer)

• Around May 5
• The beginning of summer in the traditional calendar
• It connects with mei that suggest young leaves, green wind, and the freshness of early summer

Shoman (小満 / Lesser Fullness)

• Around May 21
• The time when grasses and trees grow, and all things begin to fill out
• It suits mei related to rice seedlings, clear water, moss, and seasonal growth

Seasonal themes for May

Hachijuhachiya (八十八夜 / Eighty-Eighth Night)

• The eighty-eighth day counted from Risshun
• A familiar seasonal word for the beginning of new tea season

Tango no Sekku (端午の節句 / Boys' Day Festival)

• The May 5 festival
• It connects with carp streamers, iris leaves, streamers, and wishes for healthy growth

Shinryoku (新緑 / Fresh Greenery)

• The season when young leaves spread vividly
• A useful theme for mei such as Aokaede, Kunpu, and Seiryu

Mei for early May

Aoarashi (青嵐 / Green Gale)

• A strong wind blowing through green leaves
• A mei with the vigor of fresh greenery and early summer air

Aokaede (青楓 / Green Maple)

• Maple leaves in their fresh green state
• A mei for the clear beauty of young maple leaves before autumn color

Kunpu (薫風 / Fragrant Breeze)

• An early summer breeze carrying the scent of young leaves
• A refreshing mei that suits May tea gatherings especially well

Sanae (早苗 / Young Rice Seedlings)

• Young rice seedlings around planting season
• A mei that carries the expectation of growth and the water-field season

Nobori-goi (登鯉 / Climbing Carp)

• A carp climbing upward, recalling the image of a carp ascending a waterfall
• A Tango no Sekku mei for growth, strength, and advancement

Shobu-dachi (菖蒲太刀 / Iris Sword)

• Iris leaves imagined as swords
• A mei with the brave and protective feeling of the May festival

Fukinagashi (吹き流し / Streamer)

• A streamer displayed with carp streamers
• A bright mei suggesting May wind and the festive sky of Tango no Sekku

Mei for mid to late May

Samidare (五月雨 / Early Summer Rain)

• Rain that continues around the old fifth month
• A mei suggesting approaching rainy season and water nourishing greenery

Hana Tachibana (花橘 / Tachibana Blossoms)

• White blossoms of the tachibana orange
• A fragrant, classical mei for early summer

Satsuki-bare (五月晴れ / Clear May Sky)

• Clear weather in May
• A mei for brightness between rains and the freshness of early summer

Saotome (早乙女 / Rice-Planting Maiden)

• A young woman planting rice
• A mei that pairs naturally with Sanae and the rice-planting season

Hatsu-gatsuo (初松魚 / First Bonito)

• The first bonito of the season
• A lively mei with the feeling of early summer in Edo taste

Usu-goromo (薄衣 / Light Robe)

• A thin robe worn as the weather warms
• A light, airy mei for the season

Koke Shimizu (苔清水 / Moss Spring Water)

• Clear water springing from moss
• A cool mei with the feeling of moist green shade

Iwa Shimizu (岩清水 / Rock Spring Water)

• Clear water springing from between rocks
• A mei that suggests coolness and pure water sounds

Kanoko (鹿の子 / Fawn Spots)

• The spotted pattern of a young deer
• A charming mei for the fresh fields and mountains of early summer

Seiryu (清流 / Clear Stream)

• A clear-flowing stream
• A cool, clean mei for late May